Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

During 2016-2017 school year, Program Improvement, facilitated under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Federal legislation and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), will transition to the newly reauthorized legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA oversees the various federal funding sources, requirements and programs under Title I, Title II, and Title III, etc. ESSA prioritizes excellence and equity for students, sets high standards and contains policies that will help all students achieve success in college and future careers. ESSA also brings new state accountability requirements and relief from old sanctions imposed under NCLB. The law seeks to ensure that all children receive a high-quality education and close achievement gaps.

Under ESSA, California is required to implement the same interventions in the 2016-2017 school year for schools that were previously identified for Program Improvement (PI) in the 2015-2016 school year; with the exception of Supplemental Educational Services (SES) and Public School Choice (PSC). As California has elected to eliminate the requirement for districts to provide SES (free tutoring programs), the state has developed a transition plan that describes various alternative supports and services that are to be provided to eligible students. This means PSC and SES will no longer be offered in the Elk Grove Unified School District. The option for any new EGUSD students to transfer to a non-Program Improvement school, through the PSC program, will no longer be offered. In addition, there will no longer be free tutoring programs offered through outside providers. In lieu of tutoring, school sites will be offering alternative supports that assist students with increasing their academic achievement. Alternative supports are locally defined services and interventions administered school districts to provide a well-rounded program of instruction to meet the academic needs of students. In EGUSD students attending a Title I school that is in PI Year 2 and beyond are eligible to receive alternative supports for the 2016–17 school year.